Moving Forward
by momoxtoshiro
Summary: You've got to be kidding me... That was the first and possibly only thought that ran through Blake's head when the fire alarms in her apartment complex suddenly went off at 4AM. [For Moongarm!]
1. An Unusual Meeting

**This was based off a prompt: normal life AU where Yang is a new tenant to Blake's apartment complex and the fire alarms go off one night and well... you'll see...**

**A/N: Decided to make it multi-chapters so I changed the title to a more fitting one that will become relevant later on in the story!**

**Dedicated to Moongarm! Thank you again!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

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><p>Moving Forward<p>

Chapter 1. An Unusual Meeting

_You've got to be kidding me..._

That was the first and possibly _only_ thought that ran through Blake's head when the fire alarms in her apartment complex suddenly went off at 4AM.

She wasn't concerned for her life because she was on the fifth floor – she was just _pissed off_ because she had been _sleeping_ when the damn things had started blaring, jolting her awake from the peaceful slumber she'd finally drifted into after a long night of toiling in research.

Part of her just said to keep lying there and wait for the flames to consume her; she didn't even care at this point. If it'd let her sleep forever, maybe that would be better...

But thankfully, the other part of herself wasn't fond of the idea of committing unintentional suicide, and that part won out in the end.

She forced herself awake with a loud, exasperated groan, pushing her pillow away from her face with force. Her frazzled hair bounced at her shoulders as she slipped her legs off the bed and found her slippers.

It was easy enough to see with the flashing lights spiraling around the room, and she managed to grab her bathrobe and slip it on over her shoulders, scrambling to tie it around her stomach; she knew it'd be cold as the tundra outside being it was the middle of autumn.

And also _4 in the goddamn morning. _

The thought of hurrying down ten flights of stairs amongst a crowd of bustling, shoving people to reach safety was sounding less and less appealing, and the thought of staying in her bed and being met with a warm death more enticing.

But the ruckus in the hallways and outside made her remember the fire escape that was intended for this kind of situation.

She grabbed her most valuable notebook which contained the majority of her important notes and theories before heading to the window. She shivered as she opened the sill and a biting cold blasted past her.

"If the building's on _fire_, you think it'd be a little warmer..." she muttered.

But despite her dubious thoughts, when she inhaled past the chill of the night, she could make out a slightly charred scent, unpleasant and sharp. That fueled her to move a little faster, scrambling out the window and onto the cold, frosted metal of the fire escape. There were other tenants using them as well, and many people already down on the ground in their sleepwear, turned to look back at the apartment building.

As Blake hurried down the steps, she could hear the distant wailing of sirens, and the sense of urgency only increased, her heart pounding harder as it finally hit her that she was in somewhat of a perilous situation.

At that point, she was probably appropriately unsettled as the insistent alarms kept screeching in her ears, and the added layers of the fire truck's sirens overlapped the initial ones.

There was a discombobulating assortment of sounds – some beeping, some looping, some fluctuating – and Blake all but jumped down the last few steps onto the ground, huffing as she clutched her notebook to her chest. The landlord was standing with the other few dozen residents in the parking lot, and Blake scurried to the gathering of her fellows who had also all been roused from sleep because of this mess.

The firefighters started slipping into the apartment building to handle whatever was inside.

Blake finally came to a halt, panting slightly as she hunched over a bit. People all around her were muttering and talking, voices high and panicked and fast with excitement. The wind was blowing, but the bodies surrounding hers helped break up the chill a little.

Blake was lucky, but she found the person to her right wasn't as fortunate.

She knew most of the other tenants in the complex, but this girl must have been new. Blake didn't recognize her tangled mane of yellow hair at all, but it was certainly noticeable, even in this limited lighting.

But there were a few things even _more_ noticeable about this girl.

Like the fact that she was in nothing but her underwear.

Thankfully there was something covering her top half as well, and she clutched a damp towel around her shoulders, but it hardly reached her hips. She was barefoot, her skin glistening with residual water, and her overall appearance begged too many questions for Blake to keep quiet.

"Um... pretty crazy night, huh?" she began simply, directing her gaze toward the other girl.

The blonde flashed her a glance, teeth chattering.

"You're tellin' me, sister." She shivered jumping from one foot to the other on the hard pavement. "It's only my third freaking night livin' here and _this_ shit happens? If this is a common occurrence, just tell me now and I'll gladly move someplace else."

"Believe me," Blake sighed bitterly. "If this was a common occurrence, I would have moved out months ago. I'm fairly certain this is all just a fluke. Probably a kitchen fire."

"Well who the _hell_ is using the kitchen at _four_ _in the goddamn morning _anyway?!"

Blake snorted.

"That leads me to wonder... why were you in the shower at four in the morning, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Ah, y'know. Just got home from a wild party, haha."

"I see..."

"Yeah, I'd probably just end up sleeping till 2pm tomorrow but ugh, now all this shit's happening..." The blonde cut off with another shudder.

Blake sympathized terribly with her, having nothing but a measly towel and some underwear to protect her from the cold winds and the straying eyes of every other person in the complex. Blake hatched an idea and quickly untied her bathrobe, shedding it before offering it to the other girl.

"Take it. My pajamas are warm enough."

The blonde girl looked at her with watering eyes, and for a second Blake thought she was going to be crushed into a hug. But the other girl simply accepted the robe and stuffed her arms into the sleeves before securing it around her stomach.

"Oh, man. Thank you so much. I owe y-you big time, um..."

"Blake."

"Blake, right," she murmured, as though testing it out. Then, she broke out into a wide, toothy grin. "I'm Yang! Nice ta meet'cha, though I have to admit it might've been nicer under different circumstances."

"I'll say..."

Blake stuck close to the new girl, glad to see she wasn't shivering so much anymore.

After about ten more minutes, the firefighters emerged from the building, announcing it was safe to reenter. It turned out that one of the flames in a kitchen oven had been left on by accident, but there had been no dangerous flames.

There was a collective sigh of relief from the crowd as they all started to head back inside, thanking the firemen for their services. After that, it was a lot of grumbling and muttering as the people limped exhaustedly back to their respective floors.

Blake was preparing for her trek up those ten flights before she realized the girl beside her had suddenly stopped.

"Aw no!" Yang wailed.

Blake paused and turned back to her.

"What is it?"

"Agh, I was so freaked about getting out that I left my keys in the room! I think I'm locked out..."

Blake bit her bottom lip.

"Oh. That's unfortunate." She was about to suggest Yang use the fire escape back to her room, but the blonde was already shivering uncontrollably, even with Blake's robe to cover her. The dark-haired girl looked around, but the landlord was nowhere to be seen.

A clock on the wall informed her it was nearly 5AM, and Blake was too goddamn tired to do anything more than go back to sleep. She sighed again and got the dismayed blonde's attention.

"Then just crash in my room for the night. I can put some pillows and a blanket on the floor for you."

Yang's hands went to her mouth and a small gasp left her lips.

"Ohhh my god, do you really mean that?"

"Just for tonight. We can get you another key in the morning. I'll lend you a shirt and some pants, too."

This time, Yang really did hug her. _Hard_.

"Thank you, thank you, Blake!"

"Um-!" Blake's notebook fell from her grasp as she was squished into the girl's ample chest, finding out firsthand just how strong Yang's arms were. Blake felt her spine crack a few times – in an oddly pleasant kind of way – before the blonde let her back down onto her feet. "Yeah... don't mention it," she shrugged. "Just a favor for a new neighbor."

"I'll pay you back for all of this," Yang vowed, scooping down to pick up Blake's notebook and hand it back to her.

"It's fine. Don't worry about it." She started up the stairs, and Yang kept pace beside her.

"Hey, um... so maybe tomorrow you could show me around the place a bit? I don't really have any friends around here. I'm kinda on my own. Whaddaya say?"

Blake paused for a moment to yawn, but when her lips came together again, it was in a smile. She glanced sideways to her new companion and nodded.

"I think I'd like that."

Yang grinned at her again, and Blake felt her heart throb a little bit.

"Come on," she mumbled, turning away. "We should try to get as much sleep as possible."

"Right!"

And as Blake continued up the stairs to her room with Yang at her side, she couldn't shake the feeling that this mishap had been the start of something much better.

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><p><strong>AN: Aha so the full prompt was that the fire alarm went off and the two characters met up outside, but one was just in their underwear pff. Hope you enjoyed!**

**Please review!**


	2. 5AM Confessions

**Decided to add on a few more chapters so stay tuned with this fic! Again, dedicated to Moongarm~**

**Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

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><p>Chapter 2. 5AM Confessions<p>

After a long, barefooted trek up the tedious flights of stairs, Blake finally reached her floor with her temporary roommate in tow.

They'd been jostled by other tired tenants all the way up, and by now were nothing short of zombies as they groaned repeatedly and made for Blake's door.

When she glanced over her shoulder, she found Yang was still a good half a dozen feet behind her, so Blake paused and waited for her to catch up. The blonde girl was still shivering understandably, considering her worrying lack of clothing, and Blake ushered her toward the door.

Blake then opened her precious notebook. On the inside cover was a small pocket where her key was located; she always took this notebook with her no matter what, hence why she always kept her key inside.

With a click and a twist of the wrist, the door unlocked, and the two girls stepped inside.

The room was dark, and Blake quickly rushed over to her desk to flick on her lamp; the softer glow of the shaded bulb was more preferable at this time of night... _morning_, and she was certain that turning on the main light would effectively blind the both of them.

"Sorry it's not much," she mumbled, placing her notebook back on her desk. The room suddenly felt much smaller with two people inside it now.

But Yang didn't seem to mind.

"You don't hafta apologize for anything. I'm beyond grateful you're lettin' me stay the rest of the night. If not, I'd've had to go bother the landlord about a new key, get scolded about leaving mine in the room in an emergency, and then I'd feel bad about buggin' 'em and go back to bed feelin' all guilty. Or I wouldn't've even've bothered going to the landlord and would've just crashed outside my door and slept till mornin'. Or maybe not even've slept at all..."

Blake listened quietly throughout the girl's short discourse.

"Sounds like you have experience," she said before quickly correcting herself. "Sorry. It's none of my business."

Blake headed to her dresser and began sifting through the drawers, searching for a shirt and pants she could lend the girl. Yang shrugged, pulling the borrowed robe a little closer around her collar.

"You're not wrong, though. Somethin' similar happened in my old dorm," she confessed. "Heh, I was a failure at college even when I wasn't in class."

By then, Blake had extracted a long pair of sweatpants and a knitted sweater she rarely wore due to its yellowish color.

"Well, college isn't easy. And it's not for everyone. I never finished." She walked slowly back to Yang and offered her the clothes. "Here. These'll keep you warm for the rest of the morning. I'll get you some blankets. You can change in the bathroom if you want."

Blake then went to a small closet, and Yang headed to the adjacent door which led to the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Blake hadn't said much to her just then, but for some reason, those few simple little words had made Yang feel better about a lot of things.

As she shed Blake's robe and folded it neatly, it was with a small smile on her face. She pulled on the sweatpants that were almost a perfect fit, and then wrestled her way into the sweater. It smelled of mahogany, likely from being at the bottom of the drawers untouched for so long, but Yang didn't mind at all. She picked up Blake's robe and stepped back out into the main room, finding the dark-haired girl had laid down a blanket on the floor beside the bed.

Blake went to the small love seat in the corner of the room near the covered window and removed the little decorative pillow from it. She returned to the makeshift bed on the floor just as Yang reached it.

"Sorry," Blake said again, handing her the pillow. "I know it's not much."

Yang shook her head as she accepted the pillow.

"Like I said, ya got nothing to be apologizin' for. You're really savin' my neck here. I'll get this washed for ya tomorrow," she said with a nod to the robe. "It's the least I can do."

"Alright," Blake agreed; she knew the girl wouldn't be satisfied until she could 'repay' her somehow for letting her stay the night. "But for now, let's get some rest." She went to the window and closed the curtains where she'd opened them earlier to reach the fire escape. "Do you have to be up at any particular time?" she asked. "If you do, I can set an alarm."

"Nah," Yang waved her hand dismissively. "I'm kind of a bum right now. Takin' a semester off to try and figure myself out, y'know?"

"Yeah. That's good," Blake said, turning off the lamp and leaving the room in soft shadows. "It's better to take a break sometimes instead of pushing yourself until you break."

Yang sat down on the blanket on the floor, placing the small pillow behind her as she chuckled softly.

"You sound like you've had experience," she commented. "But yeah, that's none of my business, either."

"It's fine..." Blake murmured, sitting down on the edge of her bed at last. Her eyes traveled over to find Yang sitting up on the floor. "I dropped out of college after my first semester. Too much unnecessary work with too little reward in the long run. And way too much money.

"With my writing, I've managed to scramble by and scrape up enough cash for rent every month. I'd much rather work hard doing something I love and have a home to come back to at night instead of toiling away and exhausting my energy _and_ my wallet just to get a degree. If this is what's in store for me every day for the rest of my life, I'll take it over spiteful professors and uncaring counselors any day."

She wasn't sure why she'd gone off on such a long-winded speech just now. Perhaps it'd been the obscure hour of morning it was, and hour that made her feel unafraid to think or say anything to anyone.

Or perhaps it was because in the short amount of time she'd known Yang, she'd found the blonde to be very personable, respectful, and a good listener.

That was more than could be said for Blake's entire ex-college campus combined. Years of being labeled and placed in categories back in high school had led her to start believing people like Yang didn't exist, so she was more than glad to be proven wrong.

Even now, the girl was still looking up at her with patient eyes, sensing Blake had more to say. And she did.

"Society makes you think you have to go to school, graduate college, get a career, get married, and then have kids. They make you feel like there's no other possible way to live life other than that. And they hate when people try to defy that or go against it. They try to push you back into line, and if they can't do that, they sweep your existence under the rug entirely. But it's not so bad under here. It's really not. We get by, somehow."

Yang could hear the little smile in her voice as Blake finally finished speaking.

The blonde was at an absolute loss for words.

Never before in all her life had she heard someone say such things. The ever-present ache in the back of her chest that had been guilting her for the past two months dissipated within a matter of minutes of hearing Blake talk.

Yang was hardly an emotional person in the presence of others – life as a big sister had trained her to keep her feelings bottled up so she could care for others instead.

But she couldn't stop the tears from overflowing then, dripping down her cheeks and onto the sweatpants.

Blake had just been in the process of laying herself down when she heard the soft sobs coming from the floor, and she quickly shot up.

"Yang?" Slipping her legs off the bed, she dropped promptly to the floor and knelt down beside the girl. "Hey, are you alright? Are you hurt? Do you h-have to take medicine or something?" Worry flared hot in her stomach as she prepared to move or dart to the door if need be.

But Yang shook her head.

"No... nothin' like that. I'm... I'm okay..." she muttered. "_Better_ than okay after... hearin' you say all of that."

The red flag in Blake's mind slowly lowered as she realized Yang wasn't in pain; in fact, the tears were good ones, tears of relief in a way.

Blake was glad she could be the kind of person Yang never thought she'd find, because Yang was that person for her as well.

The blonde sniffled, wiping her arm over her eyes. "Sorry for the waterworks..." she mumbled. "I don't wanna get... stuff all over your pretty sweater."

"It's fine," Blake said softly, reaching out a hand and resting it on Yang's shoulder. "Really, it's fine, Yang. Don't worry about it. I'll get you some tissues." She lifted herself up onto her knees and reached for the box on the bedside table, pulling out a few tissues before handing them to Yang. The blonde accepted them gratefully, blowing her nose in one and dabbing at her eyes with the other.

"Thanks..." she mumbled.

Blake nodded toward a small waste bin under the bedside table, and Yang deposited the tissues there.

There was another moment of silence as Yang sniffled a few more times. Blake still knelt beside her, the hand on Yang's shoulder rubbing gently.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

The response wasn't immediate, but Yang turned around to face her in the darkness. Only a very dim haze of moonlight was coming in through the curtains, and Blake could make out the shine of her guest's lavender eyes. Her lips were in a small smile, and that eased some of Blake's concerns, but still she waited for a verbal reply.

It wasn't the one she'd been expecting, though.

"Hey, Blake? Are you okay with hugs?"

The writer blinked in confusion several times as she processed the question.

"I guess so. I mean I never really-"

She cut off with a small gasp as she felt Yang wrap her arms around her shoulders. The other girl's face went to Blake's shoulder, nuzzling into her hair and the side of her neck.

"Okay..." Yang whispered. "I just thought I should ask first in case you weren't. But _god, _I'm glad you are, because I _really_ need to hug you after hearin' you say all of that."

Blake couldn't remember the last time she'd been hugged – probably by her parents before she'd gone off to college two years ago. And judging by the tightness of Yang's grip, the blonde girl hadn't exactly been getting much satisfaction with embraces recently either.

But it was clear that she loved giving them, as the way she held onto Blake suggested that Yang had years of practice and thoroughly enjoyed physical contact when it was wanted.

Blake had never been one for such things, but for whatever reason right now she was finding she didn't mind one bit. She returned the hug, hesitant at first, but gaining a bit of confidence as the seconds ticked on.

"Thanks for asking," she murmured. "It's nice to find someone who respects boundaries."

She felt Yang nod against her shoulder.

They stayed like that for only a moment before Yang let her go.

"You're a great hugger," she said with a grin, the tears having dried.

Blake felt her lip curve up on one side.

"Thanks," she chuckled. "You, too."

Yang offered a little grin, and Blake felt something warm curl in her chest.

It was then the blonde's gaze traveled to the digital alarm clock on the table above her.

"Oh, crap! It's five-freaking-thirty. Sorry I kept you up."

"It's alright," Blake murmured. "Like I said, I don't have to do anything important tomorrow, er- _today_. We can sleep in a bit. Then I'll take you to the landlord to get you back into your room and maybe we can grab breakfast or something if you want."

Yang perked up at the suggestions.

"Really? You'd do that? That sounds awesome! Thanks so much!"

"Like I said, don't worry about it," Blake smiled.

She couldn't deny that in the hour she'd known Yang, she'd already taken a liking to her. And something told her the feeling was mutual, considering how Yang had just cried in front of her and hugged her like that.

She remembered her prior offer to show Yang around the complex; with any luck, they could try it out after they woke up.

Yang let out a loud yawn, snapping Blake from her thoughts.

"Let's get some shut-eye," Yang mumbled.

"Right."

Reassured that the girl was alright now, Blake stood and crawled back onto her bed, lifting the comforters and slipping underneath. She could already hear the birds starting to chirp outside...

Normally, she'd groan to herself and desperately try to fall back asleep, only to wake groggily a few hours later.

But now, she was actually a bit eager for the morning, wondering what it would be like to wake up with someone else there with her.

Resting her cheek on her pillow, she closed her eyes, letting out a small sigh.

Yang laid down on her back, closing her eyes on the ceiling, the blanket and clothes Blake had given her serving to shield her from the chill of the wooden floor. She listened to the sounds of Blake moving about on her bed, waiting until she'd grown still before speaking softly.

"Thanks again, Blake. For everything tonight," she whispered. "You helped me out in more ways than I think you know."

Blake smiled a little at her words, offering a reply.

"Don't mention it. I'm glad I could help a bit."

She heard a contented sigh from her guest, and recognized it as the sound of a person quickly losing consciousness. Before Yang could drift off, Blake offered one last little phrase.

"Good night."

She couldn't recall the last time she'd spoken those words, and Yang couldn't recall when she'd last heard them, either.

"Night," she replied with a smile.

Despite the exhausting and hectic events of the cold autumn night, the two girls fell asleep soon afterward feeling warmer than they had in a long while.

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><p><strong>AN: Chapters of these fics will just be about this length. I don't know how many it'll be yet, but check back every once in a while for more!**

**Please review!**


	3. A Young Author's Morning

**A/N: More of this little fic! I'll just let you all know to expect 8 chapters from this! :3 Some of you mentioned how you liked Yang's southern accent haha glad you noticed that detail! Thanks to ryderhasablog!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

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><p>Chapter 3. A Young Author's Morning<p>

When Blake woke, it was almost strange how energetic she felt.

Even after a full night's sleep, she couldn't recall ever having woken with such a refreshed feeling in her chest, her eyes opening easily as she looked to the window curtains where dim sunlight was coming through.

She was quickly reminded of her temporary roommate by the sounds of wheezing snores. Blake turned over onto her other side, finding Yang curled in a ball, her head not even on the pillow she'd been lent.

Quietly, Blake slipped her legs off the bed and stood, her bare feet padding quietly along the smooth wooden floor. She stripped her bed of its comforter slowly, as to not make too much noise, and once it was off, she took care in draping it over Yang.

Blake realized she probably should have at least tried to cover her with a little more than just the clothes last night, but had been too tired to think of doing so.

And yet, Yang had never once complained of cold or the undoubtedly discomforting hardness of the floor nor the pitiful size of her pillow.

By means of apology, Blake now took care in tucking Yang in a little before stepping over her and heading to her desk.

Flicking on the little lamp there, Blake sat down at her rolling chair as she reached for her notebook. Only about half of the pages had been written on thus far, mixes of pen and pencil scribbled over the lines and in the margins.

Her bookmark wasn't traditional paper, however. Instead, it was a small flash drive connected to a keychain, and that was clipped onto one of the spirals of the notebook's spine to keep it secure.

This flash drive was even more important to her than the notebook itself, as it contained all of her written work thus far, typed and edited. It also held several dozen precious family photos and a few videos, things she'd sometimes look back on if she were feeling sentimental.

It was nice to keep the memories of childhood days near when she worked nowadays, as they served to remind her of simpler times.

Presently, she read over the last page she'd written and opened the desk drawer to extract a small laptop, a gift her parents had given her for when she'd gone off to college. Seeing the machine always sent a pang of guilt shooting through her for remembering she'd never completed her studies as her mother and father had wished her to do.

After she'd informed them that she had dropped out, they had been upset with her for months, constantly calling her to try and persuade her to go back, telling her she'd "never get a real job" if she didn't finish school first.

Blake had laid in her bed and cried herself to sleep many nights, weighed down by her guilt. Her replies to her parents would either be indifferent or apologies, but as time went on, her relationship with them had begun to mend somewhat.

Now whenever they called, they asked how she was doing and if she needed any help, rather than asking her if she was trying to get her forms back in to the college. It was a relationship that was still healing steadily, but even the snail's pace speed was better than nothing.

Shaking her head, Blake pulled herself from her thoughts and opened the laptop before her and the notebook to one side.

She'd found she only had about six to seven hours a day where she was actually productive in her writing, and around four of those seemed to be in the morning. She often worked best early on in the day, before clawing hunger could start to annoy her, before she'd had to deal with other people or listen to the depressing news.

At this hour, her mind was clear of the rest of the world, and so long as she could keep her thoughts in line, she could find the focus she required.

Grabbing a pen, she started to write whatever words met her fancy down into the notebook.

The story she was writing was one she'd poured months of research into, hence the laptop. Whenever she needed to look something up, she'd type out a quick search and look into things before configuring and arranging things in her mind and finally transferring it into ink on paper.

She'd written short stories and even a bit of poetry before, and every once in a while she'd get one published in a local newspaper. She'd gotten a small poem book published, and a few local bookstores had it for sale.

Those were the methods by which she attainted rent money every month, and if she was smart about things, she'd almost always have a bit to put into her savings account and a bit to spare for herself on other things.

She set to work, her hands seeming to type and write faster than usual. This was the first morning she'd ever written with another person in her room, but even when she was asleep, Yang gave off a comforting presence.

It eased Blake's thoughts away from drowning in memories of college and strained relationships, bringing her back to the surface where she could breathe and concentrate.

Writing in a silent room could be just as stressful for Blake as writing in a crowded area where people were constantly peering over her shoulder. She often played a bit of music to help herself, but sometimes got distracted by it.

All in all, having Yang there was the best solution to things she'd found in a long while.

Blake worked relentlessly that morning. Her preference to write things out by hand rather than type them often led to her hand getting cramped up, which would demand she take a break – a potential time period for more distractions.

But this morning, her hand didn't act up as badly, and she managed to keep producing content at a consistent rate for several hours.

By the time she noticed the entire room was brightly-lit, even with the curtains still drawn, she'd written several pages more than she often ever did. She felt this morning had compensated for previous ones where her mind had thwarted her and her hand had made one too many mistakes.

She dropped her pen with a satisfied sigh and sat back in her rolling chair, saving her research from today and re-saving every file on her flash drive before ejecting it.

She was just reading over what she'd jotted down in the notebook when she heard a muffled moan from the floor.

When she turned to look at Yang, it was with a small smile on her lips.

The comforters heaved as the girl pushed herself up, revealing a bedhead like none Blake had ever seen before.

She hid a chuckle behind her hand just as Yang's arms went above her head in a stretch. Her shoulders popped a worrying amount of times, making Blake wince, and the moan that left the blonde's lips was enough to make her blush.

Blake quickly composed herself as her guest opened her eyes, searching for a second until she located whom she sought. Blake's good mood warranted a delighted greeting.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well, all things considered?"

Yang rubbed her knuckles over her eyes and ran a hand through her frazzled bangs, adjusting the sweater a bit.

"Oh gosh, I can't tell ya how well I slept," she sighed. "Lots better than I have been this past week since movin' in here. Maybe the key's that I gotta start sleepin' on the floor."

The comment earned a chuckle from Blake, and Yang smiled before tilting her head curiously.

"What'cha doin'? I mean not that I should even be stickin' my nose into your business but-"

"It's fine," Blake said, feeling a familiarity to all of this. "I was just doing some writing."

"Oh, that's awesome!" Yang stood slowly, shaking out her legs as she stepped over the blankets and headed for the desk, stopping a few feet away. Blake noted the girl was purposefully keeping her distance and standing at a level where her eyes couldn't glimpse any of Blake's work without her permission.

Another flutter went through Blake's chest; first minute of this girl being awake and she was already treating Blake with more respect than most people often did in an entire week.

She could see the curiosity in Yang's eyes and knew full-well she wanted to ask what Blake wrote, but was keeping quiet at the risk of invading her privacy. Blake was so touched by her refusal to ask that she ended up telling her anyway.

"I write short stories. Poems and stuff like that. I have a small book out-"

"Whoa, _what?!_" Yang blurted. "Ya wrote a _book?_ Where can I buy it? I wanna buy it, oh my gosh that's so _cool!_"

Blake was pleasantly surprised by her excitement, but shrugged her shoulders.

"It's not a big deal. It's just a very small thing. Not even my best work. I'm still working on that. Hopefully..."

"Okay but still!" Yang said. "Ya got a book published! How awesome is that? I'll tell ya it's pretty damn awesome. Yer gonna be famous pretty soon, huh?" she winked.

"Hardly," Blake grunted. "It's gonna take a lot more work to get there, if I even manage to make it that far."

"What are ya talkin' about? Of course ya will! If you've already got one book published, then it won't be long before ya put out another one and another!"

"It's not that simple. I'd have to-"

But Blake stopped herself when she saw Yang's sparkling eyes and eager grin. She realized how negative she was being, an old habit she'd never gotten around to breaking. She was only putting a damper on Yang's good mood, and when she reflected on what the blonde had told her just now, Blake realized just how flattered she was.

She changed what she'd been meaning to say as her voice sank into a mumble.

"My stuff's not that great. There are plenty of younger writers who are much more accomplished than I am."

"Hey..." Yang's voice grew softer then, and she squatted down and looked up at Blake. "Don't say that. Your stuff wouldn't be published and on-sale if it wasn't great! Ya can't go comparing yourself to other people. Yer plenty talented in your own way that other people can never be. _You_ wrote that book and _yer_ writing this one now! Nobody else can do that."

Blake looked up slightly to meet Yang's eyes.

The dark-haired girl was utterly speechless; she'd never thought of things that way before. In a matter of just a few sentences spoken in fewer seconds, Yang had made her realize something she'd never once considered.

Blake's jaw hung open as she fumbled to channel her thoughts into spoken words to no avail. She was feeling the sting of tears again, but before she could get her words out, Yang stood and stretched again.

"Any-who, I'd still love to know the name of your book so I can pick up a copy the next time I go out." Yang made her way to the spot where she'd slept and picked up the comforter, turning back to Blake with that grin that had been present since she'd woken up. "Thanks for this, by the way. Thanks for everything, Blake."

The writer blinked several times, her eyes following Yang's movements until at last she managed to make her voice work.

"_Moving Forward_," she mumbled.

"Sorry?" Yang tilted her head. "What was that?"

"_Moving Forward_. That's the name of my book."

Yang smiled even wider, if that was possible.

"Sounds great! I'll nab a copy next time I'm in town!"

She set to pulling the comforters back onto Blake's bed and making it neatly before picking up the thin blanket and pillow she'd slept on. She put those back in their places in the closet and on the loveseat, and Blake watched, unmoving, from her chair all the while.

It was the loud rumble of Yang's stomach that reminded Blake of her own hunger, and a glance to the alarm clock found it was almost noon.

Finally, Blake managed to stand, clipping her flash drive back into her notebook and closing the pages.

"We should go eat," she suggested.

Their apartment complex was actually more akin to a small hotel since it had a little restaurant on the first floor, the kitchens of which had been the source of last night's incident.

Blake owed a lot to whomever had left that stove on and caused the ruckus; if not for them, she never would have met Yang how or when she did, and perhaps never have met her at all.

Blake went to her drawers to grab a fresh set of clothes, going into the bathroom to freshen up and change as Yang waited outside.

The blonde stood near the closet, away from Blake's work desk; the girl had left her alone in the room, and Yang wasn't about to shatter her trust by letting Blake think she'd stolen a glance at her work.

Blake emerged a moment later, silently thankful to Yang for keeping her distance from the notebook. Blake retrieved it and tucked it under her arm – room key, flash drive, and all – before heading to the door. She put on a pair of slippers and dug out an older pair for Yang to wear as well before heading out into the hallway.

"Come on," she said. "We've got ten minutes before the breakfast food is gone."

They made their way down the stairs together and reached the kitchen.

Only tenants could eat at the little restaurant, and all food bills were added onto each person's respective monthly bills alongside rent.

Blake got herself a few scrambled eggs and a piece of toast from the buffet, and judging by the bagel, muffin, eggs, and pancakes Yang got for herself, Blake could assume the blonde's budget was somewhat more generous than her own.

They went to a small table together and sat down to begin eating, Blake keeping her notebook on her lap and covering it with a napkin.

As they began eating, she couldn't help but feel she'd done this a thousand times with Yang – she just felt so comfortable around her for various reasons. She didn't mind the silence between them as they ate, but Yang was the type who needed a bit of conversation to keep herself sane.

"I still think it's just so _cool_," she said. "How ya wrote a freakin' book already. And yer probably my age. I usually make my paychecks by doin' stuff like last night and goin' to parties 'n stuff." She quickly lowered her voice. "Crap, that probably sounded so sketchy. I ain't a call-girl or nothin', trust me. Tried it once for a day under my folks' noses, but I couldn't stand the creeps so that was that.

"I go to parties 'n stuff just to make and bring people drinks. I'm good at it and words gets around so I get a few jobs here and there. I don't drink, but for every one I make, I get a few bucks. And guys always tip me extra, so as long as they don't get touchy-feely, then we all go home happy."

"I see."

Blake had listened quietly all the while. She had to commend Yang for choosing such a risky line of work, under-the-table as it was, but she understood the desperation of taking any gig she could get.

Still, she didn't really like the idea of Yang putting herself in such situations. It made her stomach twist. She knew how people could get sometimes, especially drunken ones and _especially_ at college parties.

But she reminded herself it was none of her business what Yang did with her life, but... did she _want_ it to be...?

It was almost starting to feel that way.

Blake shook her head, dislodging the thoughts as they finished eating. They received their bills, put their plates on the "return" table, and started on their next task.

Blake had promised to show Yang around the building, and though there wasn't much to see, she did her best.

She led her outside as well, to where a patio with several benches and tables sat, surrounded by little gardens.

They walked for about an hour before heading for their next destination, back inside on the first floor. Blake stood by Yang as she explained to the landlord what had happened last night to get her locked out. He gave her a second key and told her to keep it in addition to the one still in her room, just in case.

Once it was in her possession, Yang turned back to Blake.

"Welp, my room's on the second floor. D'you wanna stop by real quick or something?"

"Sure. If that's okay." Blake's response was almost embarrassingly immediate.

She followed Yang up the couple flights of stairs to her room, which was located on the opposite side of the building from her own. But Blake stopped herself at the door before Yang could invite her in.

"I should get back to my writing for now," she said.

The blonde looked almost hurt, and Blake quickly kicked herself mentally.

"But thank you for inviting me up here," she said. "If you ever need anything, you can knock on my door anytime. Or call me if you want. I could give you my cell phone number."

"No kiddin'? That'd be great!" Yang said as Blake tore a corner off a page of her notebook. She pulled a pen from the spirals and scribbled down her number on it before handing it to Yang. The blonde grinned. "Thanks again for lettin' me stay the night, Blake. I'd love to meet up with ya again sometime. Maybe... tomorrow?" she asked, hesitant. "I mean, I gotta give ya these clothes back," she said, motioning at Blake's pants and sweater she was still wearing. "I'll wash 'em fer ya tonight. Ah, crap I was supposed to wash your robe, too-"

"Yang," Blake chuckled. "It's fine. But tomorrow sounds perfect. Come by any time or text me beforehand to make sure I haven't gone somewhere, okay?"

"Yeah!" she nodded. "Will do! Thanks, Blake."

"Glad to help out a friend."

She feared she may have spoken too soon about their relationship, but the smile Yang gave her then dismissed those fears instantly.

"Yeah," Yang nodded. "See ya tomorrow then!"

Yang opened the door and Blake turned and started for the stairs.

Both went their separate ways for now, knowing their paths would converge again before long.

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><p><strong>AN: I wrote this chapter only a few days before Monty's passing, so the fact that I named Blake's book "Moving Forward" before knowing of it, and that one of Monty's most inspirational phrases was "Keep moving forward"... I thought that was an odd coincidence, but also somehow meaningful. Hence why I gave the entire fic that title.**

**Please review!**


	4. A Night Like No Other

**Another update! Thanks for following along! Thank you tehwinslow!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

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><p>Chapter 4. A Night Like No Other<p>

Over the next week, Blake caught sight of Yang at least once a day, if not more often.

After Yang returned the clothes she had borrowed, they made plans to get lunch together the next day. And the day after the next, Blake promised to take the girl for a walk around town.

They came up with excuse after excuse to justify meeting one another again the next day, but only after they'd gone through the routine several times did they realize they didn't _have_ to justify themselves.

They soon started meeting up with one another simply because they wanted to.

Yang found herself content to wake every morning to check her phone and find a small "good morning" message from Blake. She'd get dressed and freshen up before replying back, and that was usually Blake's cue to finish whatever page she was writing at the moment so she could prepare as well.

They soon got into the routine of going to breakfast together daily, and after that would either go their separate ways for the rest of the day, or stick together.

Yang always mentioned if she had to attend a party that night, and Blake would tell her if she needed some time alone to finish some writing. It was a very understanding relationship, symbiotic in a sense that both benefitted from the other's company and neither got offended if the other asked to be alone.

Presently, it was two weeks after they'd met.

It was a cold, dreary day, and every glance out the window into the gray world made Blake exhausted.

She was sitting in her chair at her desk, a blanket pulled around her shoulders as she typed away. Her robe and clothes weren't doing much to defend her from the chills; cold was one of the things Blake despised most in this world, second only to financial instability.

Her fingers kept trembling, causing her to mis-type just about every other word, until she was backspacing more than she was progressing.

With a groan, Blake saved and re-saved her work onto her flash drive, ejected it and put it back into her notebook, bookmarked her research page, and shut down the laptop. She reached for her phone and typed a message to Yang:

_Hey, sorry to bother you. Is it just me, or is it really cold today?_

She stood up and went to the small kitchen area of her apartment; she didn't use it too often, as cooking for herself was rather expensive.

More often than not, she'd spend money on food and ingredients, but never be able to eat them all quickly enough before they expired, which ended up being money wasted. Therefore, she tended to take advantage of the complex's own little restaurant and just have the costs tacked onto her monthly bill.

Opening the cupboard, Blake wasn't met with canned food and packaged pasta like most other tenants were. What looked back at her were small boxes of tea. Unlike food, tea didn't spoil so easily, and Blake was _always_ in the mood for it.

She pulled out a bag of camomile and began boiling a small pot of water on the little stove at the corner of the counter. As she waited, she returned to her phone to find Yang had responded:

_Nah, I don't think it's that cold, actually. Feels the same as yesterday._

Puzzled, Blake's shaking fingers typed out a reply:

_Really? It's freezing... My teeth are chattering._

She went back to the boiling pot, placed her phone on the counter, and held her hands out over the steam to let them thaw a bit. The little blue flame on the stove seemed to be the warmest thing in her entire apartment...

Her cell phone vibrated again and Blake wiped her hands on her pants before checking Yang's reply:

_You sure? Did you catch a cold? I'm nice and comfy right now._

Blake considered the possibility for a moment, but she didn't feel particularly tired; the grogginess she was feeling was only because of the poor weather, and wasn't due to physical pain or fatigue. She brought a hand to her chest for a moment, but didn't feel anything off with her pulse.

She was just _ungodly_ cold.

Her phone buzzed again, and she read another message from Yang:

_Just have some tea and relax! :D_

Blake smiled at that; Yang already knew her so well.

_You read my mind, _she replied.

By then, the water had started to boil, and Blake finished preparing her tea, pouring it into a mug before putting in the bag. Her mini fridge only contained some bottles of water, ice, and a small carton of milk, and she poured a bit of the latter into her black tea.

As she stood, she muttered a comment about how it might've been more effective to cool the water bottles by leaving them out in the room rather in the fridge.

She sat down in her rolling chair once more, clutching the heated mug and letting the warmth seep into her palms and fingers. She didn't even bother blowing on the tea to cool it before gulping down a mouthful.

Not one of her better ideas.

Rather than a pleasant warmth, it assaulted her tongue with a searing heat, causing her to swallow quickly and burn her throat. She coughed a bit, putting a fist to her chest and shaking her head.

"Ugh," she groaned. "It's not my day..."

As the prickling in her mouth died down, a knock came on her door.

Confusion curled her expression as she put her mug down, but a glance at her phone showed Yang hadn't texted her again. The blonde wasn't one for dropping by unexpectedly, as far as Blake knew. Yang liked to give her space and time to focus on her writing.

Though Blake had to admit Yang could probably show up at her door at any hour and she'd still smile all the same and let her in.

But after she stood and went to the door, she found it wasn't Yang on the other side, but her landlord.

He informed Blake that there were heating issues on her half of the building, and it was affecting two floors. Blake was relieved to know that she hadn't been imagining things, but it was more troubling than anything when the man told her that the heat wouldn't be fixed until tomorrow afternoon.

Blake politely thanked him for warning her, and he wished her well before heading off to inform other tenants of the issue.

Blake sighed and leaned her weight against the door to close it, then trudged back to her desk.

_My heat isn't working_, she told Yang before taking another sip of her tea. She managed not to burn herself this time and actually enjoyed the flavor of the leaves. She took her seat once more just as the phone went off again.

But it wasn't vibrating this time - it was ringing.

Yang was calling her for the first time.

Sputtering, Blake put her mug down quickly as she grabbed her phone. She didn't know why she was suddenly so nervous; she'd spoken to and seen Yang at least once every day for the past two weeks, after all.

Blake cleared her throat as she swiped the screen to answer the call and put the phone to her ear.

"H-Hello? Yang, are you okay?"

"Am _I _okay?" Yang blurted. "I should be askin' _you_ that! Your heat's busted and it's thirty-freakin' degrees out! Come to my room."

"Yang, I- …wait, what?"

"You heard me! Yer comin' ta spend the night with me! I got plenty of heat to go around. Plus, it'll be returnin' the favor for the first night you let me stay over. Or if you don't come over here, then I'll come over there and be cold _with_ ya! Your choice, Blake."

The writer was almost dumbfounded with silence for a moment at Yang's harmless little threats.

But she knew the blonde was only saying these things because she was worried for Blake. Just that concern alone put a bit of warmth into her chest.

Blake chewed on her lip for a moment as she considered things.

"Well... I wouldn't wish this kind of cold on my worst enemy, let alone a good friend like you," she mumbled. "So... if it's really okay, then I guess I could-"

"Yes! Yer comin' over and that's that!" Yang declared. "Y'know my room number, right?"

"Yes."

"Good. Then pack whatever you'll need till tomorrow and come on down! I'll be waitin' fer ya!"

And with that – before Blake could even thank her – Yang hung up.

With a sigh and a smile, the dark-haired girl slipped her phone into her pants pocket. She gathered her notebook but left her laptop behind, knowing she wouldn't be able to type tonight – not because of Yang's presence, but simply because of the unfamiliar environment.

Blake removed the blanket from her shoulders to fold it up and stuffed it into a bag, intending to use it when she slept in Yang's room tonight. She kept her robe on and packed a change of sleep clothes and her toothbrush before stepping into her slippers.

With everything packed into her bag, she pulled the straps onto her shoulder before grabbing her mug of tea at the last second and taking it along.

She turned off all the lights before stepping out into the hallway, finding the air laden with a chilly draft. Blake shivered as she hurried to the stairs, making sure not to spill her tea as she headed down to Yang's floor.

As she moved, she could feel the change in temperature, and after taking another drink, she felt a lot better.

She reached the hallways and counted the numbers until she reached Yang's door, pausing outside to knock. Her knuckles had only made contact once before the door opened inward and a familiar face appeared.

She was dressed in that same yellow sweater that Blake had first lent her; she could still remember the way Yang's face had lit up when Blake had told her she could keep it.

"Blake! So good ta see ya! Come in, come in!" Yang ushered her inside, despite Blake's hesitance to enter; this would be the first time she'd be going into Yang's room. But her jitters had nothing to do with Yang herself; again, it was merely the change of scenery.

Once she was inside, Yang closed the door behind her hospitably.

"Welp, make yerself at home!" she invited.

Blake's eyes traveled around the room.

It was... surprisingly neat. She didn't know why she'd been under the impression that it might be a bit messy, but she was a little shocked to find the floor so spotless, not an article of clothing hanging out of place, no magazines strewn across the floor.

It was probably neater than Blake's own room.

The only thing that was messy seemed to be the ruffled bed, but Yang had an explanation even for that.

"I was just changin' the sheets. You take it easy on the love seat while I finish that up, yeah?" She nodded to the cushioned chair by the window. "Gosh, you look so cold. I'm glad ya decided ta come over, Blake. I wouldn't've been able to sleep tonight knowin' you were shiverin' all alone."

"But you would've come to shiver _with_ me, right?" Blake smiled.

Yang reflected the grin.

"Yeah, that's right! You bet'cha!"

Blake went to the love seat and set down her bag as Yang walked to the bed. The writer finished her tea just as Yang had stripped the mattress of the old sheets, and Blake got up and offered to help her.

"Naww!" Yang shook her head. "You're my guest! Take a load off~"

"It's fine, Yang. I want to."

"Well... Ya know I can't say no ta you," Yang caved.

Together, they pulled the fresh sheets onto either side of the mattress. Yang spritzed some lavender spray onto it before tossing the comforters to Blake. They finished within a few minutes, and Yang clapped her hands in accomplishment.

"Thanks a ton! That usually takes me so long. Whenever I get one end of the sheet in place, another one slips off!"

"I know what you mean," Blake chuckled.

Yang skirted the bed and went to her side, offering her palm to Blake.

"So how're ya holdin' up? Have ya warmed up a bit?"

"A considerable amount," Blake confessed, slipping both hands into Yang's waiting ones.

"Whew! You really _are_ freezin'! C'mere 'n lemme warm ya up a bit!" The blonde rubbed Blake's hands for her for a moment before pulling her into a tight hug.

Blake was more than used to this kind of thing by now and she returned the contact, albeit a bit more gently. When Yang let her go a moment later, Blake found herself missing the embrace.

"Got any plans fer today?" the blonde wondered.

"Not really," Blake shrugged. "I did a bit of writing this morning, but..."

Yang nodded when she trailed off.

"Yeah, I get it. Can't exactly do your work in another room, huh?"

Blake's eyes widened a bit; she hadn't expected Yang to understand so quickly. But she figured she shouldn't have been so surprised. Yang knew more about her now than anyone else.

The blonde rolled her shoulders until they cracked. "Well then, it's up ta me as the hostess ta entertain ya! Care ta watch a movie?"

"Um, sure." Blake couldn't remember the last time she'd watched a film, let alone with someone else.

Yang encouraged her to sit on the bed as she rummaged through her shelves to find a DVD. Blake removed her slippers before climbing onto the bed, watching her friend.

When Yang had finally set everything up, she plopped down on the bed beside her and started the movie.

Blake thought the experience would be a bit unnerving, having to stay quiet and sit side-by-side rather than face-to-face.

But those fears were dashed within minutes as she discovered Yang was a chatterbox at the movies, and Blake didn't mind one bit.

They watched a romantic comedy, and the comments and puns Yang kept making throughout the film had Blake laughing aloud every time. Yang was more than happy to see her smiling, and she told the girl just how good it felt to be able to make her laugh.

During the dramatic climax of the movie, Yang started blubbering and buried her face into Blake's shoulder, and the writer had to pass her some tissues.

By the time the movie was over, they were both laughing again, leaning against one another's sides. Evening had crept in, and Yang offered to bring her companion down for dinner.

After that, they returned to the room and prepared for bed.

Blake went into the bathroom to change into the clothes she'd brought and brush her teeth, while Yang changed in her room.

When Blake finished, Yang slipped into the bathroom as the former went to her bag. She pulled out the blanket she'd brought and laid it out on the floor beside the bed, prepared to sleep in much the same way Yang had first slept in Blake's own room.

She'd just sat down when the bathroom door opened again.

"Alrighty!" Yang said. "So you can just-" She cut off, freezing in place and eyes going wide the second she saw Blake. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! _Whaddaya_ think yer doin'?"

Blake looked, up slightly startled.

"Oh, sorry. I can move-"

"You _bet_ your cutie patootie yer gonna move!" Yang demanded, walking over to her. "To the bed!"

Blake blinked.

"Pardon?"

"Ya heard me! Ya really think I'm gonna let ya sleep on the _floor? _Wasn't the whole point of you comin' here so that you could keep warm? Ya ain't gonna do it on the floor, that's fer sure."

"Well... I just figured because then first night you slept over-"

"We didn't _know_ each other," Yang finished for her. "So of _course_ I slept on the floor. But no way am I gonna let a good friend like you do that now, after two weeks of knowin' each other!" She knelt down in front of Blake and took both of her hands. "C'mon now. Up ya go. You're takin' the bed." She helped Blake to her feet, but paused. "Unless ya don't like the idea of sharin' a bed. If that's the case, then I'll take the floor, kay?"

"No-" Blake gasped. "I couldn't make you do that. If... If it's alright, we can share the bed, then."

Yang grinned and put a hand on her shoulder.

"'Course it's okay. That's why I offered. But if ya change yer mind at any time or don't feel comfortable, just lemme know, yeah?"

"I'll be fine," Blake assured. "But thank you, Yang. For letting me stay the night and... for being so considerate." She looked up at the blonde and offered a small smile.

Yang scratched the back of her head and chuckled.

"Aw shucks, don't make me blush. And ya don't need ta thank me. You did the same for me and I know ya'd do it again. I'll always help ya out if ya need it! You can count on me."

"Me too," Blake agreed.

Yang turned off the lights, grabbed Blake's blanket from the floor, and draped it over the bed.

Together, they crawled into the cleanly-made bed; Blake felt better lying herself down on the mattress in knowing she'd helped prepare it. Yang flicked off the bedside lamp and left the room in relative darkness.

There was enough room for both of them in the bed, but only after Yang had made herself comfortable did Blake do the same. Yang was sure to keep her distance from the girl, though she turned herself toward Blake to make sure she really was alright with this placement.

Blake had turned her back, her dark, wavy hair running all down her shoulders and pooling onto the pillow. But even in the growing darkness, Yang could tell she was quivering.

"Hey..." she murmured. "You okay?"

Blake cursed herself for being caught.

"Yeah. F-Fine..." Her voice betrayed her, and she knew she was defeated.

"Don't lie ta me. You're still cold, aren't ya?"

With a sigh, Blake rolled over onto her other side to face her.

"A bit."

"Well then... you can come as close as ya'd like. If ya want."

Blake couldn't help but smile again; Yang always gave her the option to refuse if she wished. But Blake didn't think she wanted to.

Slowly, she shifted closer, seeing Yang's eyes sparkle with joy. The blonde wrapped her arms around Blake loosely, drawing her nearer, seeking her warmth and sharing her own.

Though hesitant, Blake did the same, slipping her arms over Yang's sides and around her shoulders. In the few weeks they'd known one another, Blake had discovered Yang was very protective of her hair, and so she made sure not to touch a single strand.

But the blonde chuckled against her shoulder.

"It's fine," she murmured. "You're special, Blake."

The writer was quiet for a moment, but with Yang's permission, she gradually let her fingers stray into those thick golden locks.

"You too," she whispered. "You're special too, Yang."

Neither needed elaboration to understand what the other meant.

They murmured goodnights and closed their eyes, adjusting to the feeling of curling up beside another human being, a casual contact they'd both been denied for years now.

Having it again now reminded them that – for two girls their age living alone and fighting stress daily – close, consensual, physical contact was nothing short of a necessity.

Yang had held her younger sister before to soothe her on stormy nights. But the way she held Blake now was different somehow, and she couldn't quite explain it.

Blake felt it too, the... emotion behind Yang's embrace.

It wasn't to comfort her or to prove anything.

It was simply... to exist together with her.

And perhaps a little something more, but it was still too early to tell.

Blake relaxed, nestling closer beneath the blankets. Yang had rested her chin atop her head, and Blake found herself by the girl's collar. When she shifted another inch, her ear picked up on the thudding of a gentle pulse.

It was the first time she'd ever listened to someone else's heart, and Blake found it provided a simply indescribable comfort.

She fell asleep to that consistent sound, her own breathing composing Yang's lullaby.

It was just a normal night.

And yet it was a night like no other.

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><p><strong>AN: Each chapter is like it's own mini story. I'll let you know that this fic is now half over!**

**Please review!**


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